The NFL is forever making changes to increase the safety of its players, whether it’s through rule changes or equipment updates.
Helmets are continually undergoing changes to protect the players’ skulls and brains from life-changing impacts. With a physical sport like football, you’ll never get rid of injuries or prevent every single head trauma, but the league does what it can to protect the players.
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Players have also begun to get innovative with the facemasks, creating designs that fall within the NFL’s regulations that are not only more protective but look cool, too.
New York Giants linebackers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux both debuted new facemasks at organized team activities (OTAs) this week.
When Burns comes running at the quarterback this fall, he’s doing it with a full grill on his face and a visor that’s just, well, cool. He won’t look like Dominic Toretto driving a supercharged 1970 Dodge Charger running down the field, no, he’s going to look like the Charger itself. Mean. Aggressive. Ready for war.
Thibodeaux’s mask is a bit less loud than Burns’ facemask, but still offers added protection and looks mean while doing it. The visor protecting his eyes from the sun also means opponents can’t see where his eyes are looking to determine which direction he’s going to run. He may not look like a Charger, but a 1977 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 is a pretty sweet sidekick.
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Both of these players’ helmet adjustments appear to fit the NFL’s regulations, so they should be able to sport these all season long.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Pair of Giants defenders debut new face masks